Hostile

HOSTILE is a gritty, near future roleplaying setting for the 2D6 Cepheus Engine rules that is inspired by movies like Outland and Alien. It is a universe of mining installations, harsh moons, industrial facilities, hostile planets and brutal, utilitarian spacecraft.

And out here the Unknown is real – it is horrific: there are rumors of the disturbing side-effects of hyperspace, of ancient horrors entombed on icy moons, and of monsters – killer aliens, perfectly evolved to survive the hostile wastes of space – at any cost.

An immersive and realistic near space setting

Gritty and scientifically plausible Off-World Colonies

Many references to classic late-70s and early-80s SF movies

Complete career write-ups, from Roughneck to Corporate Agent, Marine to Spacer

1. Been wondering something, since subsectors here are called "Zones", what term would be used for when humans in HOSTILE finally enter into a 16th Zone and finally make a full on region of space that Traveller would normally call a "Sector"?

Would HOSTILE have a term for that?

2. Are there any places that have something equivalent to a Red or Amber Zone restriction?
Does HOSTILE have equivalent terms?

I ask these questions because I was looking at that Kosmos 68 setting of yours and I found it neat it had its own little terms to differentiate it from a standard Traveller setting's terminology.

It's little flavor differences like this that really add to a setting snd I enjoy that HOSTILE often has its own terms for common Traveller items and astrogaphy. :)

Paul EMarch 13, 2020 8:00 am UTC

PUBLISHER

Hi Warren, in the near future, when the Americans and Japanese colonize 16 zones (subsectors) they might call these large tracts of interstellar space 'stellar districts', with the first being centred on Earth itself. As for red zones and amber zones, we left those out because with so many worlds being hostile to humans, most would be considered Amber Zones! And Red Zones? Well, it makes things too easy to isolate a world like that ... let players go where they need to go, and suffer the consequences. .... !

Warren EMarch 14, 2020 7:06 am UTC

Neat! Would Stellar Districts be generally named after a main planet or a stellar designation?

Do you plan on any supplements that cover the Japanese & European Sectors, like you do the American Sector?

Will we be seeing supplements on military ships or even maybe some privately-owned ships, such as that "executive transport", like the supplements we have for the Harbinger or the Hercules tug?

Also, one thing I notice for your vehicle stats, there is no little indicator on whether a vehicle is closed or open, like that "O/C" we see in the Cepheus Engine SRD.

Does that mean vehicles statted out are generally ones with closed cockpits in-setting?

Paul EMarch 14, 2020 7:56 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

Hi Warren, pushed for space on those Vehicle Tables! So I'd refer you to the written descriptions for those. On stellar caattography, I think your idea is dpot on and matches the Traveller approach of naming large stellar territories after a major planet or star. I do have a book planned covering all of the Japanese/Asia Pacific Partnership, but its in a queue behind a few others at the moment, I'm afraid! That does include another ship book.

Warren EMarch 19, 2020 12:39 am UTC

Nice. One final question: considering we see possibilities of characters having status F aka "Chairman" in HOSTILE, and considering one of the backgrounds you can pick is "Corporate Exec", will any later books possibly allow players or Managers to create their own corporations?

Warren EMarch 10, 2020 9:08 pm UTC

1. Been wondering something, since subsectors here are called "Zones", what term would be used for when humans in HOSTILE finally enter into a 16th Zone and finally make a full on region of space that Traveller would normally call a "Sector"?

Would HOSTILE have a term for that?

2. Are there any places that have something equivalent to a Red or Amber Zone restriction?
Does HOSTILE have equivalent terms?

I ask these questions because I was looking at that Kosmos 68 setting of yours and I found it neat it had its own little terms to differentiate it from a standard Traveller setting's terminology.

It's little flavor differences like this that really add to a setting snd I enjoy that HOSTILE often has its own terms for common Traveller items and astrogaphy. :)

NEIL SFebruary 05, 2020 5:14 am UTC

Does this have a random creature creator in it?

Paul EFebruary 14, 2020 12:44 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

No Neil, it doesn't. I'm not sure one exists for Cepheus Engine or Traveller.

Jean-Francois BJanuary 29, 2020 12:12 am UTC

I bought HOSTILE, The Technical Manual, Dirtside, and Crew Expandable via Lulu (I'm full on physical books) and I can say that's packed with tons of ideas and work! And for the printed price it is worth it a lot, not something you see everyday in the tabletop RPG world.
The setting itself is pretty original considering the mainstream transhuman / space opera settings around there.
I will certainly buy two or three other books from you to complete the collection. Great work!

Paul EJanuary 31, 2020 10:56 am UTC

PUBLISHER

Thank you Jean-Francois!

Scott CJanuary 14, 2020 1:56 am UTC

PURCHASER

Any chance you will put out a full colour printed book?

Paul EJanuary 31, 2020 10:57 am UTC

PUBLISHER

It looked to be too expensive for customers at the time. We are rethinking this year, perhaps also including all of the Cepheus Engine rules that are needed to run the game. Thanks for your interest.

Philip CAugust 26, 2019 11:21 pm UTC

PURCHASER

A well organized setting for playing in the 80s movie inspired space universe. Book contains one highly detailed subsector and five others which are sparsely detailed so Gamemasters can choice which they want to use. Other sections give you everything you need to expand the original 2d6 space rules into this setting, from character creation to equipment to organizations to work for and against. Should note that you need to either Traveller or Cepheus Engine as this is a setting and not a complete rulebook.

Scott MJuly 13, 2019 7:33 am UTC

PURCHASER

No bookmarks in HOSTILE-5.pdf - Paul E would you be able to get that fixed? Thanks!

Paul EJuly 13, 2019 9:59 am UTC

PUBLISHER

Still working on that! There are some tough issues with my layout and bookmarks.

Wesley MMay 09, 2019 1:12 am UTC

PURCHASER

After purchase I see there are two files that seem to be the same. HOSTILE-4.pdf and HOSTILE-5.pdf. What is the difference between the two aside from their titles?

Paul EJuly 07, 2019 5:40 am UTC

PUBLISHER

I will remove hostile.4, it contained minor typos.

Dwight FApril 18, 2019 4:15 am UTC

Are there full adventures for this or just a setting and ideas?

Paul EJuly 07, 2019 5:41 am UTC

PUBLISHER

Please check other Zozer Games books, there are several supplements and adventures: Hot Zone, Pioneer Station, Alien Breeds, Dirtside and the Marines Handbook.

Troy RJanuary 07, 2019 4:26 pm UTC

Hello, I've bought Hostile via lulu about six months ago and emailed re:getting access to a pdf copy, but haven't seemed to got a response yet. What would be the best way to resolve this? Thanks!

I'm picking up some more great books this week too - Marine Corps, Hot Zone and Alien Breeds.. you produce some fantastic stuff!

Paul EJuly 07, 2019 5:43 am UTC

PUBLISHER

Did you get in touch Troy? Please contact me via my webside, www.paulelliottbooks.com

Brett PDecember 18, 2018 1:43 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Just ordered the printed version and Hot zone! Merry Christmas to meeeeee :)

Brett PDecember 18, 2018 4:23 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Many thanks for the PDF links Paul. I am like a little kid. I have not been this excited over a book in a long while lol. Just scanning through I am grinning from ear to ear. This looks right up my street and can't wait to get stuck into it.

Gerald MDecember 06, 2018 2:37 am UTC

PURCHASER

Wow... I just purchased this game a few days ago and I am impressed with the level of depth this setting has. The detail is amazing. I truly really really like this setting and all of its concepts. This is a must have for Cepheus Engine/Traveller game style fans. Hands down great stuff!!!! 5 stars!!!

Paul EDecember 06, 2018 10:21 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

Thank you Gerald! I took apart all those movies and other source materials and put them back together again, to find out what the badic building blocks were. There are plenty of ingame 'homages' to those movies...

Steve RJuly 15, 2018 5:54 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Really like the setting. Any chance of a version of the pdf for letter size paper as opposed to A4? Cannot get this to print correctly here in the U.S.

Paul EAugust 15, 2018 11:36 am UTC

PUBLISHER

There is a print version on Lulu, see below, I can refund the price of the PDF. Reformatting the 330 page book would be a difficult and very time consuming process, I'm afraid.

Steve RAugust 31, 2018 3:53 pm UTC

PURCHASER

No worries. Thank you, sir!

Paul EMarch 07, 2018 12:23 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

Announcement: If the print version is bought on Lulu, I can now offer the PDF as a free download.

March 08, 2018 2:14 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Great! How does this work? I have recently ordered both this and Zaibatsu from lulu (also 43 AD!). I just checked my lulu account and they were not in my downloads.

March 08, 2018 6:54 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Thanks - I sent you a message via your contact form.

Chris HMarch 13, 2018 3:13 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Excellent! How do I claim my PDF copy? I genuinely love this setting.

Paul EMarch 13, 2018 6:46 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

Please get in touch with me via Zozer Games: https://www.paulelliottbooks.com/contact.html

When I reply to uou, I'll ask you to forward your Lulu reciept. Please get in touch.

Chris HApril 30, 2018 2:41 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Sent you a message via the website a couple of weeks ago. No reply yet. Want me to send it again?

John LFebruary 04, 2018 10:51 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Any discount on the pdf if we buy the print version from Lulu?

Paul EFebruary 12, 2018 3:09 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

I'm afraid not.

John LFebruary 14, 2018 9:29 am UTC

PURCHASER

Well, that's inconsiderate of you. Do you at least have sufficient courtesy towards your customers to provide a pdf of the character sheet so folks who stupidly paid for the physical book don't have to break its spine to copy it?

John LFebruary 14, 2018 4:06 pm UTC

PURCHASER

I apologize for the tone of my last post. While I am disappointed about the pdf situation and now wish I had not ordered the print copy, you have a right to not cut deals on the pdf and I failed to filter some general crankiness out of my reaction to your choice. I guess I am old enough to still prioritize physical books and look at pdfs as supplements/add-ons. You have created a very nice setting for the 2D6 sci fi rules. I just wish you had chosen to not be so Mongoosey-stingy about the pdfs.

Paul EMarch 03, 2018 10:32 am UTC

PUBLISHER

Hi John, the character sheet and a few other items are up on the Zozer Games website, https://www.paulelliottbooks.com/hostile.html.

I'd love to use DriveThru's Print on Demand system, because it lets publishers on here bundle up PDFs and Print on Demand books all together, provide discounts on the PDF, etc. It's all very good. The reason I don't use it, and unfortunately cannot offer you a discounted PDF (much as I would like to) is that the software I use to build my covers is not up to scratch for the DriveTHru POD system. Lulu publishing employs a different cover designing software package that I can upload to easily and without fuss.

Believe me when I say I am not trying to rip off customers or stubbornly demand full prices for everything no matter what, it's simply a matter of software compatibility (and no doubt skill and learning too, its a complicated business!). I do hope to rectify the situation later this year though!

I really do apologise for any inconvenience...See more this has caused you... Paul Elliott/Zozer Games

John LMarch 03, 2018 4:53 pm UTC

PURCHASER

Hey, Paul.

I understand what you have written. I also know that it is possible for one such as yourself to provide discounts for pdfs on an individual basis (e.g., send an email or personal message that contains a link that adds the item to the recipient account at a reduced price). They need not be tied to a PoD version of the item.

It is your call. I wish you well in your RPG publishing endeavors!

John

Paul EMarch 03, 2018 9:12 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

Hi John, you may have the answer there, I think. If you can spare the time would you contact me, I have a couple of questions regarding your idea: https://www.paulelliottbooks.com/contact.html

Alex BDecember 19, 2017 12:28 am UTC

PURCHASER

...See moreI love this just like Orbital 2100 and SOLO - my only technical complaint might be that the bookmarks are screwed up on my PDF viewer (regular Adobe Acrobat - not sure if it's just my end?) - Lowercase and single-word, and a few jump to random sections of text. This also happened on the latest revision of SOLO - so might be something to look into.

Another complaint might be that there are some sections here copy-pasted more or less from Orbital 2100, with exact descriptions. Zero-G Workplace and your weapons descriptions especially.

Story-wise, I note the history is like a post-2100 timeline where Luna just blinked out of existence and Leyland-Okuda appeared out of thin air? It'd be interesting for an Orbital 3e and Hostile 2e to maybe make that shift either more obvious (maybe ubiquitous and quantum computing force a change to vacuum tube infrastructure after Lunar AI go crazy) or write the universes into their own distinct places, leaving the corporate names as a Zozer easter-egg.

Paul EDecember 23, 2017 7:13 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

Bookmarks - they are linked to my word processor's chapter/heading/titling system. I'll have a look into that.
Orbital and Hostile come from a shared universe, it is true, but Hostile certainly isn't a 'historically accurate' sequel... the mood is all different, there is the retro-tech, too. As you noticed, I have included a couple of sections verbatum from Orbital 2100 (In particular aspects of working in space), which seemed preferable to referencing the earlier book and expecting readers to go and buy it. But in Hostile, you've just got to have rules for mining in space!

Warren EFebruary 17, 2018 11:01 pm UTC

I would say Hostile is more like a parallel mileau to Orbital 2100. The retrotech is what does that. We also don't see mention of anything weird found on Mars.<br>
<br>
I'm really enjoying this setting. Will we get to see rules on ship combat or see more maps on various worlds? Because I noticed Tau Ceti was the only place to a map of the surface.

Paul EMarch 03, 2018 4:14 pm UTC

PUBLISHER

I would like to find time to flesh out a Future War on Tau Ceti book for Cepheus Engine. I once wrote a military history book on the Vietnam War, so you can guess where my inspiration will come from!

Hostile Review I recently received a copy of Hostile and with great excitement. I’ve been a fan of the Alien film franchise for years and a friend who recommended Hostile to me said I wouldn’t be disappointed. I wasn’t. Hostile isn [...]

Excellent book all around. If you love the magic that are Alien, Aliens, Outland, and all things 80's scifi, this is your game. Game does an amazing job of capturing a pretty wide range of role-playing opportunities from bug hunts, to corporate intrigu [...]

If you'd rather reach for the shotgun than the phaser in your sci-fi rpgs then this is definately the product for you. The combination of the easy-playing Cepheus engine system (rooted in the old favourite of the classic "Traveller" game) and [...]

This book provides an incredibly rich setting for human exploration of star systems relatively close to Earth made possible by massive corporations searching for profits and raw materials while consuming the hardworking lives of countless technicians, [...]

If you want a gritty and edgy setting that feels dangerous and grungy from the first page, this book is the LV-426 you've been looking for. This is a retro-80's setting, ala Aliens or Bladerunner -- no smartphones and no nanotechnology, heavy o [...]

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